Entering a car isn’t rocket science, It’s as simple as opening the car door, stepping your foot in, and seating.

How difficult could that be?

Well, that wouldn’t be a challenge, if you’re not an elderly person.

Getting older is one of the beauties of life, it has its perks and it’s called the golden years for a reason. At old age, the body loses its strength and would need support to go around and get things done.

If you’re planning on taking an elderly person out, an SUV may a good choice of car.

Sport Utility Vehicles are the Swiss Army Knife of cars; you can drive them on both good roads, bad roads, and even where there isn’t any road. They can take it all pretty much in stride.

SUVs appeal to families and do it better than almost anything; the high roof, low floor, and wagon shape give SUVs comparatively boundless headroom, storage space, and legroom for passengers to stretch their legs.

While Sport Utility Vehicles are generally larger than other cars, the advantage of their raised seating position comes at a cost – Passengers need to climb a step or two to get in and out.

If your passenger is an aging adult, you definitely don’t want them doing this all by themself as it can aggravate painful conditions and possibly cause injuries

So, how can you get the elderly into an SUV without killing them?

If the senior has little leg strength, it’s a good idea to have a travel partner – someone who is physically able to give additional assistance when loading and unloading the senior,

If your elderly parents need help getting into an SUV, then you may want to keep reading. In this article, you’ll learn how to support a senior in and out of an SUV

Without further ado, let’s jump right in

How to get an Elderly into an SUV

Although some SUVs are very easy to enter (you should read till the end to see them), others require a little bit of technique to get an elder in.

For how to get an elderly person in an SUV, follow these few steps.

1. Make sure the area around the SUV is safe

In order to prevent your Senior from tripping over, ensure there’s nothing around the SUV. Before you make the move, also make sure you’re clear because if you end up falling and hurting yourself, then  nobody is going anywhere

2. Put on shoes with good grip

For safety reasons, it’s best to wear footwear with good grip and traction. Non-slip soles are a good recommendation.

3. Space your feet so they’re at shoulder width

After ensuring you’re putting on a shoe with good grip. Try spacing your feet and positioning your body correctly. You want to keep your feet at shoulder width, bracing the elder firmly, but not tensing the muscles too much.

4. Hold the upper half of your body straight and keep an upright stance

It’s crucial you do this right, if not you could end up hurting yourself. After bracing the elder, watch the positioning of the upper half of your body. Your torso, especially your head, neck, and back should remain mostly straight.

5. Using your hips, bend your knees and lean into the senior to lift them

While your hips are angled towards the elder, Bend your knees, lean into them, and use your hips to lift them.

6. While transferring, put more weight on your forearms

As you lean and approach the senior. Gradually begin lifting them up. At this point, you may want to put less weight and pressure on the hands-on more on the forearms

7. Put your legs to work

As mentioned in step 4, keep the upper half of your body straight and maintain an upright stance. Do not rotate or twist your spine while lifting. Rather, you should keep it straight.

Allow your legs do the brunt of the work instead of your back. If there’s a need to move your body, then pivot with your feet

8. Make Use of car aids for transfers safer

Sport Utility Vehicles being the fastest car growing segment, it’s popular for its versatility, cargo space, and comfort.

If you’re transporting an elderly passenger in your large-sized SUV, you don’t expect them to easily get in and out of the car on their own – you should give them a hand by following the steps we discussed earlier.

Getting an elderly person in and out of an SUV can also be done with the help of a mobility aid such as a gait belt. There are a couple of other devices that will lessen the physical effort on your part and help the elderly get into an SUV.

For a senior who is in a wheelchair, you can raise them up and in the car or use equipment like a transfer board to help.

With these car aids, you don’t have to do all the hard work yourself. They’re very easy and safe to use. Plus you won’t in any way hurt them or yourself.

You can find them on Amazon.

What are the best SUVs for Elderly passengers?

If you’re in search of a decent SUV with your senior in mind. Then you may want to consider one that will give them a comfortable ride and as well be easy to enter and come out of.

As the saying goes, different strokes for different folks, there are as such different types of SUVs for different individuals. And this doesn’t exclude our old ones.

Here are some of the best SUVs for the elderly.

1. Honda CR-V
2. Honda Pilot
3. Hyundai Santa Fe
4. Kia Sorento
5. Kia Soul
6. Subaru Forester
7. Subaru Outback
8. Toyota Highlander Limited
9. Lexus RX 350
10. Acura RDX